Oh what a week. So far we have discussed prehistoric times, the discovery of fire, cave paintings, and threw in a few math and language lessons. The children came back after the break so focused, calm, and ready for work. I have been reminding myself to get back to basics in the classroom and trying to follow Montessori's "Ten Commandments"
- Never touch the child unless invited by her.
- Never speak ill of the child in her presence.
- Concentrate on strengthening and helping the development of what is good in the child so that its presence may leave less and less space for the bad.
- Be active in preparing the environment; take meticulous and constant care of it, help the child establish constructive relations with it. (Remember – The environment is suited to the child, not the adult.)
- Be ever ready to answer the call of the child who stands in need of you and ever listen and respond to the child who appeals to you. Be a good listener.
- Respect the child who makes a mistake and can then or later correct it herself. Stop firmly and immediately any misuse of the environment and any action which endangers the child, her development or that of others.
- Respect the child who takes rest or watches others working or ponders over what she herself has done or will do. Neither call her, nor force her to other forms of activity.
- Help those who are in search of activity and cannot find it.
- Be untiring in repeating presentations to the child who refused them earlier; in helping the child acquire what is not yet her own and overcome imperfections. Do this by animating the environment with care and purposive restraint and silence, with mild words and loving presence. Make your ready presence felt to the child who searches and hide from the child who has found.
- Ever treat the child with the best of good manners and offer her the best you have of yourself and at your disposal.
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